Today is #GoodNewsFriday and I just want to be simple and a tad philosophical with this one. For a variety of reasons, this has been a WEEK. I needed a break and I decided to drive around town a little bit this evening. As I drove past our Centennial Monument, the word “thankful” bounced through my brain.
In 2000, this monument was dedicated to honor the ranching and railroad heritage that built #StamfordTexas. That heritage exists because of our people—those early pioneers who huge risks and braved a harsh landscape to carve out a community here. Stamford has changed in the 120 years since the Stamford Townsite Company, headed by future mayor Pierre Paul Berthelot and backed by the Swenson brothers, sold the first lots in the new town. The railroad is gone. Ranching has changed in many ways. The town’s population has risen and fallen. The people no longer qualify as “pioneers,” but they are every bit as special as those early settlers. They take risks. They work every day to carve out a living from a harsh and often unforgiving landscape. They share with me their ideas and passions for the future of Stamford. Most of all, they support each other when they’re sick, hurting, or struggling. This world can be a difficult place, but so many of you world incredibly hard to make it better.
Thanksgiving is approaching and I hope to write a longer Thanksgiving message to our community between now and then. But right now, I just want to share this piece of good news: our community is a great group of people. I see it every day and I’m thankful for each and every one of you.
“Good News Friday” is a weekly feature spotlighting the positive activities underway by the City of Stamford and the community at large in our quest to build a #BetterStamford.